Article conveying mechanism



Aug. 3W, w49. c. J. MALHloT ARTICLE CONVEYING MECHANISM 7 sheets-smelt 1 Original Filed May 8, 1942 Mam..

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C. J. MALHIOT ARTICLE CONVEYING MECHANISM Original Filed May 8, 1942 '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 ug. 3U, W4. c. J. MALI-HOT 2,489,253

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ARTICLE CONVEYING MECHANISM Original Filed May 8, 1942 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 m, ww;

Original Filed May 8, 1942 ARTICLE CONVEYING MECHANI SM C. J. MALHIOT '7 Shee -Sheet 6 Q. N .4.: a M ':V 1 \'l l" -1` IV u l E N :5f- "f A Qum Q N Amig- 39 w49 c. J. MALHIOT 2,480,253

ARTICLE CONVEYING MECHANISM Original Filed May 8, 1942 '7 Sheets-Sheet '7 Patented Aug. 30,- 1949 ARTICLE CONVEYING MECHANISM Clarence J. Malhiot, Oak Park, Ill., assignor to F. B. Redington Co., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Original application May 8, 1942, v'Serial No. 442,205, now Patent No. 2,426,314, dated August 26, 1947. Divided andthis application September 9, 1944, Serial No. 553,449

7 Claims.

This invention relates generally to article conveying mechanism and particularly to mechanism for conveying articles which are especially small and thin, such as razor blades. This application is a division of a copending application led by the same applicant on May 8, 1942, as Serial No. 442,205 and issued August 26, 1947, as Patent No. 2,426,314.

One of the particular objects of the invention is to provide mechanism adapted to convey articles being wrapped, such as razor blades, at a constant high speed. Another object of the invention is to provide mechanism adapted to convey an article being wrapped in substantially al straight line throughout the complete wrapping of the article and its discharge from the machine.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a continuous moving article conveyor which is adapted to feed partially wrapped articles into an inverting or reversing mechanism, and thereafter pick up articles from the inverting mechanism and move the same through fur; ther wrapping stations.

These and other objects will be apparent from the following description, the appended claims and the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a selected embodiment of the invention and in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the left-hand portion of a machine constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the right-hand portion of the machine illustrated in Fig. 1, the tWo views partially overlapping;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. l, certain parts being omitted for clarity;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken along the line 5--5 of Fig. 3 and illustrating the mechanism at the feeding end of the machine;

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail taken along the line 6--6 of Figs. 3 and 5; v

Fig. 7 is a sectional detail taken along the line I-l of Fig. 3;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view illustrating the manner in which a pusher element engages an article in accordance with the present invention; and

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary longitudinal section taken at the right-hand end of the machine as indicated by the line 9--9 of Fig. 4.

Like characters of reference indicate the corresponding parts in the different views of this application as well as designating the same parts in the aforesaid co-pending application Serial The particular machine herein shown for the purpose of illustrating the invention comprises a vertical main frame I which extends longitudinally of the machine and supports the various operating parts thereof.

Article conveying mechanism A pair of sprockets 2 and 3 are mounted upon shafts 4 and 5, which are suitably supported upon main frame I, and these sprockets carry a conveyor chain 6. The chain 6 comprises a plurality of links 'l pivotally joined together with rollers 8, Fig. "I, therebetween.

A plurality of substantially T-shaped article advancing or pusher members 9 are pivotally connected to the conveyor chain 8. Each of the pusher elements 9 comprises a stem portion I0, Figs. 6 and 7, and a pusher portion II. Efach pusher portion co-acts with an article 25, such as a razor blade, to be wrapped in the manner shown in Fig. 8. The pusher elements 9 travel along guide rails I2, I3 and Ill during operative movement. Guide rail I2 is mounted in a substantially U-shaped channel l5 which extends between the upper portions of the sprockets 2 and 3 and is supported at the left-hand end of the machine by a U-shaped bracket I6, Fig. 5, and at the right-hand end of the machine by a T-shaped bracket l1, Fig. 9. The rollers 8 of the 4conveyor chain are adapted to travel along the upper surface of the guide rail l2 and to be guided thereby, Fig. 7.

The guide rails I3 and I4 are suitably attached to side plates I8 and I 9 which extend throughout the length of the machine. The guide rails I3 and I4 provide a table for supporting the article 25, such as a razor blade, to be wrapped, and also as a guide for the upper portions II of the pusher members 9. These guide rails extend from a position adjacent the lower end of the left hand sprocket 2, as shown in Fig. 5, to a positionadjacent the lower end of the sprocket 3, as shown in Fig. 9.

Each of the pusher members 9 is also provided with a pin 20 which is adapted to ride within a cam groove 2I provided in the guide rail lf3. The cam groove 2l extends throughout the length of the guide-rail I3 and provides for constantly controlling the pusher elements during the operative portion of their movement. A pivot pin 22 also extends outwardly from the pusher members 9 and isV received beneath a pair of guide plates V23 and 24'mounted upon the channel member I5.

'The guide rails I2, I3 and I4 together with the pins 20 and 22, the cam groove 2I and the guide plates 23 and 24 provide for maintaining the pusher members always in proper position, Figs. 5, 6, 7, and`9.` I. V

During the .return travel of the?" conveyori', the pushers 9 are allowed to drop to a free position as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 5 and 9. The down- I ward drop of the pushers is limitednby/engagen 4 is thereafter rolled by a pair of flap creasers 2I0, Fig. 4.

The forwardly extending side flap portions of the wrapper are next folded upwardly about the leadingiedg'e `of the farticlesby the'barsf245, Fig. 4. Thereafter a"folder.246 engages the upraised flap portions and folds them downwardly against the article. Thereafter the article is moved to discharge., position where a pair of rotary discharge ment of a cross bar 294 with the liikspfthecon-"ln" 'members 268`discharges the article from the conveyor chain as shown in Fig. 5.- =At--ftheileftilarde'1L end of the machine the pins 2Urlijfrtl'rezpushersarea: guided into the cam groove 2I by an adjustably mounted guide 295 also shown in Fig.,5. Proper.

tension in the conveyor chain'...6 is naint'ained. ..15 by a sprocket 291 carried by a pivotallymounted,

arm 298, Fig. 2.

Drive for conveying mechanism The article conveying r`if-'mechanism is driven 20 nected with a pulley 302 by a;belt:f3 823:3 The-pulley; 302 is mounted on a main drive shaft 304 which has a gear 305'iattached\th`e`retoif THe-gear 305 meshes with agear 30S-loosely mounted on a shaft .m

30I'IN The gear 306"'r`neshesv with'a gear-308.loosey ly mounted upon a shaft""I58l" vThe gear.l 3081; meshes with anidler gear. 330'which meshesfwith a gear 33.I. The gear. 33I`inesh`s-with ya gear 332iY which is mounted on a shaft' 33,Fig.`.2. Thegear-m 332 meshes witha gear-339i1ounted upon a shaft 2471 The shaft'24'l carries a pinion..SlillffvvhichV meshes Awith a .gear 34|"rotatablymounted upon tioniandfarrangement of the parts without de-"v par-tingcfrm.the-'isp-iritof the Ainvention or sac-f' ricingifany' ofl its advantages, "and the "right is herebyJreservedftoma'ke'all'such changes as fairly falliy within the Jscopeol` the `following claims.'

The invention is hereby claimed -as follows:Y 1. `In'ia :machine "for-wrapping' thin articles,

,suchasrazor bladesand `the like; a conveyor comprisingmeansfforming fa 'transfer' support providing.spacedrailsiiforisaid articles and a' slot opening lbetwe'en 'said' yrails, an endless'.- flexible'- chainfsupportedon 'sprockets` at the'` opposite yendsof'saidtransfer support, with a reach 'of' saidfchain/ extending between the sprockets'and along and adjacent .said 'slot opening, a guide rail supportingfsaid :chain vbetween 'said sprockets to 'f maintain-'f'th'ei 'same accurately positioned with 'lrespect' tothe" spaced rails'of the transfer support'fduringJ-travel `of the f chain along said sup- 5 of the right ,hand sprocket wheel 3 andthereby drives the'rota'ry conveyor chain 6, Figs`-2 ande Opeatz'on'lz 4.

The conveyor chainis continuously' moved'byl.

provided with-a portion SEI-...providing.forproper 55 feeding .engagement ofthe pusheriheadsillwith Y an articleto befedVlig.n 5.Y

The pushers` 9 feed-.the narticles ntoa .wr-appen e feedstationt, Fig-- 1, wherethe articles .-are.- fed :f

into wrappersfw As .shown Amore. particularly in ,60- Fig. .5, these wrappers'lfv are 'partiallyiffolded f about. the IleadingedgeeA of the .-.articlen...There after `.the partially wrapped=` .articles :are-1 passed'fz fr along to stationary end-.napituckers i5-(Fig.- 3%,l 1

and the tucked end flaps are rolledxdownvvby-a-f endI-laps are then `foldeddownward-ly and: there-fie afterf-ithe" partiallyy wrapped-- article-f' is invertedfaby a reversing wheel:l I vI 5.y Following. inversion:1 their# articles'4 are agairr-y picked 1 upiby'? ztherconveyonl lzo andare moved past-2a :pair-y offrotaryfend flap wrapperli-ls thenf tucked andffffolledinwardly? and' v"I5 ',port'; *saidftr'ai'i'sferr supportA having curved'extensions projecting around the sprocketsl at each endfof the'-'support 'andforming' curved con- 'tinu'atiorrs l"of s'aids'paced railsfand slot opening, puslierslpivted at spaced intervals :on said chain andifhavingshank' portions adapted to extend in and ride along said slot opening, including the portisfthreof'in'isaid curved extensions, said" n fshankportions"carrying head portions adapted to ride along Asaid spaced rails inthepath of said thinarticle'sf'to'push and* follow the same along" saidp'ath, and'cooperating means on said pushers and on said transfer support and its exten-I.

sionsffor-fholding said head portionsat' all times withinysaid path'and'in' position to engage and' pushsaidfthinarticles;

2. In a machine for wrapping thin articles,"

providigspacedrails for said articles and a slot opening between said rails; an vendless flexible' chain supported on sprockets'at the opposite` endstof-saidtransieifsuppoi-t, with"^a reach of s'aid chain extending between the sprockets and along-'and'v'acljacent"said 'slot' opening, a guide* railsupporti'rg 'said ch'ainb'etweensaid 'sprockets'y to maintain'ithesame *accuratelypositioned withvrespect to s aid spaced rails during travel of the `fhain""along`fsaidsupporty pushers' pivo'ted 'at'f spacedfi-in'tervals'-fonvsaid"chainsiand' swingab'l outwardly thereof; cooperatingineans "on"said`"v chari'and'pusnerstolimit'the Outward swinging" movementof the push'er`s,"said pushers'achh'av-- ing=a shank portioir'adaptedto ext'ermi-1 in andl ride along said slot opening, a head portion on said shank portion having transverse sectional shape corresponding with that of the thin articles, and cooperating means comprising a cam groove on the transfer support and its extensions and a cam follower on the shank of each of said pushers in position to engage said cam groove as the pusher enters said slot opening, at one end of the conveyor whereby to draw said head portion inwardly on said chain and to maintain said head portion in accurate position with respect to the support track in position to engage behind and push said thin articles along said support track.

3. In a machine for wrapping thin articles, a conveyor embodying a support upon which the articles are moved therealong, said support ernbodying members spaced from each other to provide a slot therebetween, a continuously operating endless chain passing over sprockets at the opposite ends of said support, one of the runs of the chain being disposed beneath said support, adjacent thereto and along said slot, a support for said run extending along and beneath said slot, pusher members pivotally connected to said chain and extending through said slot, a guldeway disposed beneath said first-mentioned support between the said support and the adjacent run of said chain, means on said pusher members engaging and movable along said guide-way, and a pusher head connected with each of said pushers, resting upon and movable along the top of said support, for engaging and pushing the articles along the support.

4. In a machine for wrapping thin articles, a

conveyor embodying a support upon which the articles are moved therealong, said support em bodying members spaced from each other to provide a slot therebetween, a continuously operating endless chain passing over sprockets at the opposite ends of said support, one of the runs of 'the chain being disposed beneath said support,

adjacent thereto and along said slot, a support for said run extending along and beneath said slot, pusher members pivotally connected to `said 'i -.projecting around the chain sprockets at the ends of said support.

5. In a machine for wrapping thin articles, a conveyor embodying a support upon which the articles are moved therealong, said support ernfbodying members spaced from each other to provide a slot therebetween, a continuously operating endless chain passing over sprockets at the opposite ends of said support, one of the runs of the chain being disposed beneath said support, adjacent thereto and along said slot, a support for said run extending along and beneath said slot, pusher members pivotally connected to said chain and extending through said slot, a guideway disposed beneath said first-mentioned support between the said support and the adjacent run of said chain, means on said pusher members engaging and movable along said guide- Way, and a pusher head connected with each of said pushers, resting upon and movable along the top of said support, for engaging and pushing the articles along the support, the point of engagement of the said means with the said guideway being spaced a substantial distance from the point of pivotal connection of the pushers with said chain, in a direction lengthwise of the run of said chain, whereby to maintain the pusher heads in the path of the articles to engage and push them along the said support.

6. In a machine of the character described, a conveyor for delivering articles successively to and through a plurality of stations to be operated upon comprising means forming a transfer support providing spaced rails for said articles and a slot opening between the rails, an endless flexible chain supported on sprockets at the opposite ends of said transfer support, with a reach of said chain extending between the sprockets and along and adjacent said slot opening, a guide- Way disposed beneath the transfer support and between said support and the adjacent run of said chain, pushers pivoted on said chain and having shank portions adapted to extend in and ride along said slot opening, said shank portions carrying head portions adapted to ride on at least one of said rails to draw said articles therealong, and guiding and aligning means on said pushers and cooperating with said guideway to guide the head portions of the pushers in accurate alignment in the path of articles along said spaced rails in position to push and follow the articles.

7. In a machine of the character described, a conveyor for delivering articles successively to and through a plurality of stations to be operated upon comprising means forming a transfer support providing spaced rails for said articles and a slot opening between the rails, an endless lexible chain supported on sprackets at the opposite ends of said transfer support, with the reach of said chain extending between the sprockets and along and 'adjacent said slot opening, a groove formed in said transfer support and disposed between the article supporting surface of said support and the adjacent run of said chain, pushers pivoted on said chain and having shank portions adapted to extend in and ride along said slot opening, said shank portions carrying head portions adapted to ride on at least one of said rails to draw said articles therealong, and means cooperating with said groove comprising a follower on each of said pushers in position to ride said groove to guide the head portions of said pushers in alignment in the path of said articles along said spaced rails in position to engage and push the articles along the spaced rails and to follow the articles.

CLARENCE J. MALHIOT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,572,256 Van Buren Feb. 9, 1926 1,593,501 Martin et al July 20, 1926 1,987,871 Rose Jan. 15, 1935 2,034,160 Taylor Mar. 17, 1936 2,131,428 Dalkowitz Sept. 27, 1938 2,336,795 Malhiot Dec. 14, 1943 

